1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a printing system. More particularly, the present invention relates to a printing system in which placing a customer order is well automated, and a region for printing is so separate from a region for customers that they can wait in a safe and comfort environment for finish of prints.
2. Description Related to the Prior Art
A commercial printing system for producing prints from photographic paper is known as printing service. Images on a developed photographic film are printed on the photographic paper. Also, electronic image data are read from a memory card or other storage medium, to print images on the photographic paper. In general, an attendant or photo finisher of a photofinishing shop accepts a customer order placed by a customer. The customer is informed by the attendant of estimated time required for finishing the prints. When or after the estimated time has elapsed, he or she visits the photofinishing shop again to receive supply of the prints by payment for the service. There are various problems, one of which lies in requirement of a sufficient number of attendants. Another problem lines in difficulties in managing numerous orders without errors.
JP-A 2000-347301 discloses a self-service type of the printing system. The customer at the printing system sets a storage medium in a card reader or other data reader, and operates an inputting panel to input information, such as designated images to be printed, and a setting of the printing number of prints to be produced. According to the input information, production of prints is effected automatically. The prints are obtained, stacked, and inserted into containing cells in a sorted manner per the customer order. When the customer comes to receive the prints, a discerning device for verifies ID of the customer, so as to allow access to the prints by unlocking one of the containing cells.
The customer is obliged to visit the photofinishing shop two times, one for placing the customer order, and the other for receiving products. This is inconsistent to easy availability of photographic prints for the customer, because of as short time for the printing as several minutes or tens of minutes. It is conceivable to set a customer waiting space inside the photofinishing shop, and to serve beverage, food or the like to the customer for the purpose of comfortably spending time for waiting. However, handling of beverage, food of the like in the photofinishing shop is legally not allowed for hygienic reasons. As the photofinishing shop inevitably uses harmful substances for photographic processes, commercial ideas for hospitality cannot be developed.
The printing system according to the prior document has another problem in that finished prints are dropped by gravity into containing cells. Damages are likely to occur on prints upon the drop, such as scratches, folds, and the like.